Sri Lanka Govt Apologises To Muslims Over Forced Cremations During Covid Pandemic

The Sri Lanka government formally apologised to the country's Muslim minority on Tuesday for forcibly cremating people who died of Covid-19 during the pandemic. The then government disregarded World Health Organization (WHO) assurances that burials based on Islamic rites were safe.

The government said a new law would guarantee that the right to funeral customs of Muslims or any other community were not violated in the future, according to an AFP report.

Muslims, who account for 10% of Sri Lanka's population of 22 million, traditionally bury their dead facing Mecca. However, the majority of the country’s population comprises Buddhists, who typically cremate their dead, as do Hindus.